The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-09-28
A Love Romance in History.

vein of indolent thought and is an an
tidote for the depressing influences of
heat and WEAKNESS. But there are
truths in history invested with romance
that are far more captivating than any
story evolved from the inner conscious
ness of practical writers.
In the year 1897 two members of
a prominent New York family-a
sister and brother-were married.
The first of these weddings was a
great social event, bringing together
all that was distinguished in the world
of politics, religion, law, science and
letters. 1t occurred on the 9th of
June. The bride was Miss Eliza Susan
Morton; the bridegroom was the cele-
brated Josiah Quincy of Boston. They
were young, popular, ricn, fair and tai
ented. The ceremony was performed
by Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith, presi-
dent of Princeton College, who made
the long overland journey to New York
Gin term :ime) for the special purpose,
Miss Morton having been much in his
family and greatly beloved by every
one. She was also a favorite in the
family of Judge Theodore Sedgwick,
usually spending some months each
summer with them in Stockbridge,
Mass. The festivities, blessings and
partings over, the bridal pair departed
in an elegant coach drawn by four fine
horses, and after a tour of five days
through Connecticut and Massachu-
sets, reached their Boston home.
The second wedding was far more
romantic and much less imposing. 1t
was that of Washington Morton, the
younger brother of Mrs. Quincy, in
October of the same year. His bride
was the beautiful Cornelia Schuyler,
daughter of General Philip Schuyler of
Albany and sister of Mrs. Alexander
Hamilton. Few gentlemen were better
known in the New York of that period
than General Jacob Morton and his
brother, Washington Morton. They
were both lawyers with an honorable
brilliant period of its history. Jacob
Morton was fourteen years older than
Washington, and for upward of thirty
years was major-general of the first
division of the militia of the state.
During the war of 1912 he was mustered
into the service of the United States
and appointed military commander of
New York city. He held municipal
offices of trust also for long series of
years, until he became almost as familiar
to the eyes of New York as the city
hall itself, and so strong was his hold
upon the popular regard that no change
in politics ever disturbed his position.
He was perfect gentleman of the old
school. There are persons living who
remember his fine presence, military
bearing, erect carriage, alert air and
cordial manners, with powdered hair
and fautlessly elegant costume. Wash
ington Morton was a strikingly hand
some young man of twenty-five at the
time of his marriage, graduate of
Princeton in 1892, of rare fascination
and tact in conversation, superb phys
ical strength and great athletic skill.
But up to this date much more of his
time had been given to the pleasures of
life than to its affairs. He, on one
occasion, walked to Philadelphia from
New York for wager, which created
no little talk and excitement, it being
then an unprecedented feat. " His
walk finished, his wager won, after a
refreshing bath and toilet he spent the
night with his friends who had ac-
companied him on horseback, and a
party of Philadelphia choice spirits,
over a supper-table spread in his honor,
at which we may well believe that the
conviviality was answerabe to the
greatness of the OCCASION"
AT the attractive home of Alexander
Hamilton young Morton was favorite
guest. Mrs. Hamilton's younger sister,
Cornelia, came to spend the winter of
1867, and Washington Morton fell
madly in love with her. She was charm
ing girl, though by no means a belle.
She had dark brown hair, which she
wore parted in waves over a low,
white forehead; eyes of deep blue-gray,
so shaded and Swallowed by lashes that
they seemed black in the imperfect
light; complexion of that clear paleness
which better interprets the varying
phases of feeling than more brilliant
color, and a small, rosy mouth, with all
manner of little lights playing about it,
and slight compression of the lips, be-
tokening strength of will. Her beauty
was really of that soft and touching
kind which wins gradually upon the
hOoib idlhCi IMAM luO oCboCo' ilCl la
ture, too plant and clinging for the
role of social leadership, which so well
became Mrs. Hamilton, had yet firm
ness that promised full development
through her affections. She was one
of the wedding guests when the sister
OF her lover was married, in June, and
was radiant on that memorable occa-
sion. The attachment of the handsome
young pair was well known to the Nor.
ton family; and ere long Miss Cornelia
returned TO her home in Albany, at
tended by Washington Morton, who
sought an immediate interview with
General Schuyler, asking the hand of
his daughter in marriage.
Alas! the course of true love was NOT
destined, in this instance, to run
smoothly The sagacious old chieftain
was in no hurry to consign his sweet
young daughter to the care of volatile
headstrong youth of twenty-five, how
ever brilliant his prospects and posi-
bilities. He refused to consider the
question until the ambitious aspirant
should have slackened his pace to the
sober rate BETTING steady-going mar
ried man." Young Morton urgently
pressed his suit, which angered Gen
eral Schuyler, who impetuously ordered
the ardent lover to attempt no further
communication with his daughter. He
even went so far as to escort the young
man to boat for New York, and saw
FL